Direct contact with the population is one of the most important aspects of the work of OSCE field missions. Such contact serves to gain a better understanding of the concerns and expectations of the people living in the country where the mission is active. Often, missions are approached by individuals complaining about alleged human rights violations. How to deal with such complaints is not always clear. It depends not only on the nature of the complaint but also on the mission’s mandate, size, and resources. This handbook was developed by the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to provide practical guidelines to field personnel dealing with individual human rights complaints. With the publication of this book, we are pleased to be able to respond to a need frequently expressed by OSCE missions. The handbook is designed to enable mission personnel to identify the best ways to address individual human rights complaints by giving practical guidance on how to receive, process, and follow up on such complaints. The OSCE, with its comprehensive security concept, places the individual human being at the centre of its security considerations. Protecting human rights and effectively addressing violations constitute crucial elements for promoting human security throughout the OSCE region. In addition to the need to assist individuals, the overall analysis of individual human rights complaints can help identify weaknesses in national human rights protection systems. By enhancing the capacity of field mission personnel to deal with complaints more systematically through this publication, the ODIHR hopes to contribute to efforts to support governments in developing strong democracies in line with their human dimension commitments. The ODIHR is grateful to Annette Lyth and Peter Eicher, the authors of this handbook, as well as to the numerous OSCE staff members who responded to the questionnaire that was used to prepare this publication. Ambassador Christian Strohal Director of the ODIHR 11